Many machines include a motor for moving one or more components of the machine in one of two directions. In addition, many motorized machines also include a physical handwheel that is mechanically coupled to one or more of the same components of the machine. Manually rotating the physical handwheel clockwise causes the coupled components to move in one direction, and manually rotating the physical handwheel counterclockwise causes the coupled components to move in the opposite direction.
One common problem with a physical handwheel is the difficulty associated with gaining physical access to the physical handwheel. For example, in a long-arm sewing machine, a physical handwheel may be positioned on the rear end of the machine, which may be several feet from the position of the user while operating the machine. The relatively distant location of the physical handwheel on the rear end of a long-arm sewing machine may make it difficult for the user to reach all the way to the rear end of the machine in order to manually rotate the physical handwheel during the course of operating the machine.
Another common problem with a physical handwheel is the difficulty associated with manually rotating the physical handwheel. For example, in a long-arm sewing machine, a physical handwheel may be configured to at least partially manually move otherwise motorized components of the machine. This manual movement of otherwise motorized components may be designed to allow these components to move in a slower and more controlled fashion than is possible when using the motor to move the same components. However, some users, especially older users, may have difficulty in manually rotating the handwheel on a long-arm sewing machine due to the natural resistance of the otherwise motorized components that are mechanically linked to the physical handwheel.
The subject matter claimed herein is not limited to embodiments that solve any disadvantages or that operate only in environments such as those described above. Rather, this background is only provided to illustrate one example technology area where some embodiments described herein may be practiced.